


Retrospective

by Avirra



Series: An Unholy Alliance [8]
Category: Star Trek : Mirror-verse, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Mirror Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-11
Updated: 2013-07-11
Packaged: 2017-12-19 03:30:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/878900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avirra/pseuds/Avirra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kirk and McCoy finish their interrupted conversation (Bar: Take Two).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Retrospective

**Author's Note:**

> As a note, in my version of the Mirror-verse, the emphasis is on political maneuvering and manipulation rather than on violence and sex - though violence and sex are both certainly have their places (nothing overly graphic). Think in terms of more Machiavelli and less Caligula. Some cursing is also present.
> 
> This story takes place immediately after Bar.

Taking a swig of beer, Kirk gave McCoy a speculative look.

"You know, alien variety or not, I've never heard of any sex-based disease that affected anyone that quickly."

Giving a small shrug, McCoy took a sip of his own drink before replying.

"Naturally? No, they take a little longer. However, mix a little disease in with a few boosters and accelerators? You can get some mighty interesting results."

"Do I even want to know how you managed to tinker with it to perfect that?"

"Let's just say that during my internship, some of the other interns learned that I'd take backtalk from one of the doctors, but not from their sorry asses."

That got a chuckle out of Kirk.

"What? Is that how you ended up in jail?"

"Not even close. That was my ex's doing. Like I said before, her family practically owns Peach County. Her kin hold every elected office - including the Sheriff and the Judge. They didn't need such paltry things as evidence when everybody's word was good but mine."

Recalling that McCoy had mentioned starving to death in a cell, Kirk figured that was their way of punishing him for his ex's demise, so he just nodded. When they got to know each other better, he might ask about how he did away with her. For now, he just shifted to his other question.

"So how did Pike get you out?"

Taking another sip, McCoy gave Kirk a look.

"I take it you don't know all the powers and entitlements that go with being an official recruiter for the Empire. They have the right to pull anyone they want into the service who's imprisoned for any reason - whether jaywalking or murder. The sheriff had the option of letting him take me or being charged with treason for disobeying an Imperial law. Now, I believe I was promised a fill-in on your medical history."

That statement had Kirk taking a long drink of his beer. Looking at the table instead of at McCoy, he began by asking a question.

"Do you remember hearing about Tarsus IV?"

"Hold on."

Puzzled, Kirk looked up to see McCoy signaling to their server for another round.

"Sorry - figured we'd both need another before you finished and I'd hate for you to have to stop partway through to wait for a refill. Yeah. I remember. My father ranted about that situation for a full month."

They both fell silent again as the drinks were dropped off, then McCoy continued.

"From the question, I assume that is the reason for some of the holes?"

"Yeah. Did you know that Kodos caused the crops to fail? He liked to think of himself as a genius. He was going to innovate how crops were raised throughout the Imperial colonies. Then his experiment backfired and instead of increasing yields by over 50%, he killed over 75% of the crops. Worse, the ground was tainted by it and replanting failed. If he'd stuck with a test field first, but no. He used it on all the fields. The colony was doomed, but he was going to do his best to hide who was responsible."

"How do you know so many of the details?"

"My uncle was one of the overseers of the farms. He was uneasy about that stuff Kodos ordered to be used on all the farms."

Mulling over that remark, McCoy frowned.

"Why didn't he question it then?"

Kirk gave a rueful laugh.

"You obviously never met Kodos. His second in command suggested - just suggested, mind you - that the formula should be used on a small scale first. He had an 'accident' the following day. Kodos didn't take criticism well, so my uncle and the other overseers followed Kodos' orders about spraying the fields with the experimental mix because they knew that not doing it was a death sentence. Not that it saved them. My uncle and my aunt were among the four thousand executed, along with all of the overseers and their spouses. He even executed the scientists and the laboratory workers that he had ordered to make the stuff."

McCoy let out a low whistle.

"So the massacre was actually a cover-up instead of a lousy attempt at a preventive measure? Kodos was a bigger bastard than even my father gave him credit for. Do you buy that he actually killed himself?"

Snorting, Kirk raised his beer for another drink.

"I'd buy that you're an Orion slave girl in disguise before I'd buy that fable. He did what he always did. Tried to cover his tracks and managed to do it well for once. At the cost of someone else's life, as usual. Nobody's life meant anything to him but his own. So, why was your father so hot against Kodos?"

"You aren't the only one that lost kin on Tarsus IV, kid. I never met them myself, but my father lost his favorite cousin on his momma's side in that massacre. He'd have been even hotter if he'd known the real reason. Damn waste. So - ever think about tracking old Kodos down?"

"It was all I dreamed about for a year. Then I realized the odds against me ever managing to, and - I won't say I still wouldn't like to have payback, but I don't dwell on it any more."

Nodding approval, McCoy sipped his drink again.

"Right way to go about it, kid. Take your revenge when you can - let it stew on a back burner when you can't."

"What's with all this 'kid' stuff? You can't be that damn much older than I am."

"Did you run calling me 'Bones' past me? No, you did not. You gave me a nickname - I gave you one. Evens out."

Chuckling, Kirk pushed his empty beer to the side and reached for the next one.

"This roommate thing might not be so bad. You going to mind me bringing someone in for sex?"

"Two conditions: not on my bed and I'm not leaving the room if I have something to do."

"You can even watch. Doesn't bother me."

"I have trouble imagining much of anything bothering you, kid."

The server was passing by and Kirk waved her over.

"We'll be stopping with these drinks. We have to get back before curfew."

"Hold on."

Digging in a pocket, McCoy pulled out his flask.

"Mind having this filled with the same bourbon brand you've been bringing me tonight?"

As she headed off with the flask, Kirk gave McCoy another grin.

"Plan on sharing any of that?"

"Sharing that with you is how it got empty in the first place, but since I prefer drinking with someone to drinking alone, yeah - I'll continue to share."

When the server handed back the flask along with the credit chip, McCoy passed the chip back over to Kirk and reached into the medkit at his belt again. Leaning forward a bit, Kirk watched with open curiosity as he pulled out a small device and ran it over the flask. After a minute, McCoy nodded in satisfaction and put both the device and the flask away.

"What was that for, Bones?"

"Just making sure that the only thing they put in there was bourbon. Got caught out once and was lucky that the idiot misjudged how much of a dose it would take for a man my size. Once was plenty."

"Where did you get that?"

That got another eye-roll from McCoy.

"You think I picked it up from the corner drug store? I made it."

Eyes bright, Kirk looked at the pocket the device has disappeared into.

"Think you could rig me up one of those?"

"If I had the money to buy the needed parts - which I don't - and enough free time - which I also don't - then yeah. I could."

"How about if I manage to get the parts?"

"There would still be that little thing about me needing sleep now and again, but sure. Might take awhile, but it would probably save me time in the long run if I don't have to figure out what the hell you've ingested as often."

Polishing off the remainder of his beer, Kirk got to his feet. McCoy finished what was left of his glass and joined him.

"Tomorrow morning's going to come awfully damn early. I hope those other four idiots had the sense to go away. I don't feel like dealing with an ambush tonight."

"Me either. Which means if I do have to deal with them, I won't be nice."

"Neither will I. Think we'd get a reprimand so long as it's still off-campus?"

"Only if we get caught, Bones."

"Hell, no worries then."


End file.
